Thousands benefit from smart technology after car hits power pole in South St. Louis County

Automatic switching prevented 1.4 million outage minutes due to car crash

While trees and vegetation are the leading causes of local electric outages, damage from cars and other vehicles can pose a similar threat to customer reliability. Unlike storms, when forecasting and response planning can be done in advance, electrical infrastructure damage from cars is unpredictable. It can happen at any time, and it can have wide-ranging impacts on customers.

Ameren Missouri is working to protect customers from these types of unexpected disruptions. The company has installed more than 2,150 smart switch devices across Missouri, which can automatically reroute power and restore service to customers. During major storms alone, these devices have prevented more than 400,000 customer outages in the past five years.

“This technology plays a key role in our response during any storm and helps us keep the lights on for more customers,” said Joe Harvey, director of Ameren Missouri’s Archview Division. “But crucially, smart switches are working hard, no matter the weather, to support a more reliable grid.”

Recently, a car traveling along Patterson Road in Oakville struck a wooden power pole. The resulting damage impacted a subtransmission line carrying power to multiple substations in the area. Within minutes of the crash, smart switch technology rerouted power to support customers served by these substations, preventing prolonged outages for more than 6,100 customers. Collectively, this technology prevented more than 1.4 million outage minutes for these customers. 

The following day, crews completed the installation of a new power pole, replacing the one hit by the car and restoring normal operations along the circuit. To learn more about the work Ameren Missouri is completing through its Smart Energy Plan to make the energy grid more resilient and reliable, please visit AmerenMissouri.com/Plan.